Everyone needs time off work and sometimes the circumstances are completely unavoidable. For many employees, especially those returning to the workplace after a long-term absence, such as sick leave or maternity leave, there can be a certain level of anxiety.
That’s why employers need to have procedures in place to ease people back into their roles as effectively as possible. And this is where a return to work interview (or RTW interview) come into play. We’ll delve into how these discussions should be structured with compliance in mind, as well as the return to work interview questions you could ask.
What is a return to work interview?
A RTW interview is an informal conversation between manager and employee (and possibly a member of your HR team), organised to discuss the re-entering the organisation. This conversation allows all parties to discuss relevant concerns and plan proactively. It’s also an opportunity to review any patterns of absence that may need to be addressed.
These talks will look different depending on the absence in question. Don’t worry, we’ll delve more into this later!
Is a return to work interview a legal requirement?
No, return to work interviews are not compulsory. Special considerations such as pregnancy or disability, for example, may not require an interview. While not legally required, many employers treat them as best practice due to their impact on well-being, performance, and retention.
It’s also an effective absence management tool, allowing managers to support employees and monitor attendance while staying compliant with employment law. These meetings should also be in accordance with the organisation’s Sickness Absence Policy—if one is in place.
How to conduct a return to work interview
Even though return to work interviews should be an informal supportive conversation, it’s good practice to have some structure to make sure all bases are covered. This structure should be outlined in your Sickness Absence Policy, ensuring consistency and fairness for everyone.
It’s vital to keep notes of the meeting to help track the reasons for absence as this can be critical later if faced with an unfair dismissal claim so be sure to complete any return to work forms during the interview.
We’ve created these guidelines to help you structure your interviews:
Welcome the employee back to work
First things first, make sure you take the time to welcome the employee back to the workplace. Approach the meeting with a positive attitude, creating a safe space to share meaningful and (perhaps) sensitive information.
Explain the purpose of the meeting and that the goal is to review their current state, address issues relating to their attendance (if applicable), and to ensure that you offer the appropriate support to help them transition back to the workplace.
Share any business updates
Take the time to share any developments within the business that they should know about before they return. This should include new starters, policy changes, or any other necessary information that impacts their role.
If there have been any significant changes to workplace systems, you should also reassess if they require any additional training to support them in their reintegration.
Learn more about their absence and how you can support their return
Identify the reason for the absence and if the organisation can make any adjustments to ease the employee’s return. This will differ depending on the reason for absence. If applicable, refer to the employee’s fit note or any recommendations from their GP to guide your discussion and accommodations.
For example, if the person was absent due to maternity leave, flexible working arrangements might be necessary to accommodate childcare—or a phased return to work. Likewise, they may have a long-term illness and require sustained support in the workplace such as changes to their workspace.
Depending on the reason or severity of illness and any operational impact, consider arranging an occupational health assessment to help provide professional input into suitable workplace adjustments.
Create an action plan for their return
With all the information you’ve received in mind, create a plan that reflects everything needed to support the individual’s return to work.
It’s important that all parties leave the conversation with a clear and actionable understanding of what the process will look like, including whether they will be working part-time or have a reduced workload.
Clarify the details
On the employee’s official return date, their period of absence will be documented, so agree to the number of days beforehand to avoid confusion later.
You should also outline what will happen if the absence frequently reoccurs. Do they get a verbal warning? Is there disciplinary action?
Allow for any questions
Allow the employee to cover anything that may have been missed from the interview. Letting them express any concerns or initial alarm bells helps to iron out any underlying issues that were not discussed, creating a better understanding of how to prevent absences in the future.
Return to work interview questions
Knowing what questions to ask, especially without a clear initial understanding of the root of the problem, can be tricky. We’ve pulled together a list of return to work interview questions you might want to ask, but of course, exercise your judgment to remain empathetic.
- How are you feeling now?
- Do you feel fit enough to return to work?
- What was the reason for your absence(s)?
- Was this directly related to work?
- Did you consult a medical professional during this time? If so, do you have any recommendations?
- Are you on any medications that we should be made aware of?
- Is there any chance your absence will reoccur—and can we do anything to prevent this?
- Can we make any adjustments that will help you return to work?
- Do you require any retraining on company systems or processes before returning to your responsibilities?
- Do you have any questions?
Why are return to work interviews important?
Now you know what a return to work interview is, let’s dive into why they are important:
For employees
- They are a chance to discuss any challenges or support needed, such as flexible working, mental health resources, or workload adjustments.
- Employees feel valued and seen, helping to reduce worries about returning to the workplace, boosting morale and productivity.
- Return to work interviews are a helpful stepping stone to reconnecting with their team, creating a space to discuss team updates, projects, or policy changes that may have occurred during their absence.
For Employers
- Conducting interviews to review long-term sickness gives organisations the information they need to monitor absence and make any relevant changes to reduce absenteeism, like workload concerns, unresolved conflicts, or ongoing health issues.
- RTW interviews are also great for managing short-term absence as they send a clear message that absence is actively managed and require employees to explain their absence face to face.
- They also help to keep workplaces legally compliant. Interviews act as a way of ensuring organisations are meeting their duty of care and employment law obligations by making any reasonable adjustments.
- Return to work interviews are a practical way to support an inclusive workplace, recognising that people return from absence for different reasons. By tailoring support, you accommodate individual needs and foster a culture where everyone feels respected and valued following the Equality Act.
When should a return to work interview be conducted?
It’s best to hold a RTW interview as soon as possible after an employee returns to work; ideally on the first day of return or as soon as practicable afterwards. This means they can receive any support needed from the outset. You should also clearly state this in your organisation’s policy.
The meeting should be held in an environment that affords privacy. Remember, all discussions between line manager and employee should remain private and confidential.
Managing HR effectively
By leading a supportive and well-structured interview, you give your team the confidence that they will be supported as they navigate the return to the workplace, while also effectively managing your HR systems by having an accurate record of absences.
Need some practical HR advice to make the return to work process smoother? Our HR platform CintraHR is here to help you manage your employee absence process, ensuring everyone feels seen, supported, and successful in the workplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Return to work Interview Template
A ready-to-use template to manage return to work interviews with support and compliance in mind.
If an employee doesn’t feel ready to return, you should discuss alternative options. This could be urging a person to return to their doctor for further advice (or potentially a further fit note) or exploring flexible or part time options. For employers, it’s important to consider this outcome pre-interview and be ready with options that work for both the individual and organisation proactively.
A phased return to work is very much self-explanatory; it’s a process that gradually reintegrates an employee into the workplace. This might include reduced hours or a lighter workload. This process can greatly benefit individuals returning from a long period of absence or have a long-term illness but are ready for work.
Employees will only be paid for the hours that they work during a phased return to work unless your workplace policy says differently.
Having a Sickness Absence Policy is critical in ensuring that you manage sickness absence fairly and consistently. Section 1 of the Employment Relations Act requires the amount of any contractual payments (including contractual sick pay and Statutory Sick Pay) and how they will be paid to be set out in the contract of employment or the Sickness Absence Policy. Employers should also set out in the contract or policy whether entitlement to benefits continues during sick leave.
An informed and effective Sickness Absence Policy with fair, clear processes is the best medicine for curing problem absence. It sets standards, lets everyone know their responsibilities, and reduces legal risk.
It’s important to know what right’s employees have before approaching a return to work interview. Not only do they have the right to privacy—which is why it’s important to hold the interview in a private environment—any information shared should be kept confidential and handled in line with data protection legislation.
It’s also important to bear contractual sick pay in mind. If an employee is eligible for contractual sick pay (sometimes called company sick pay) and the employer does not pay it, the employee may be eligible to bring a claim for breach of contract. So, make sure you’re abiding by what was set out in employee contracts to avoid headaches later!
